White Collar - as an unofficial novel - part 5

One goodbye too many

Neal called Mozzie and they took a walk. He showed him the papers he got from Fowler. If they were not as legal as they seemed, Mozzie would know. His friend read them through and returned them to him.

"Are they legit?"

"You know they are."

They continued to walk. It was a chilly day. Soon he would spend Christmas someplace warmer, with Kate in his arms.

"A Washington-approved disappearing act," Moz mused.

"Well, technically, I work for OPR."

"Yeah, technically," Mozzie agreed. "It's just on paper. With this new identity, you can go anywhere with Kate."

"And it's legal."

"That's genius. No one will be able to find you. Governments, old enemies, old friends..."

Neal paused in his step. Mozzie knew, and it was time to say goodbye.

"Remember that old Chinese curse?" Moz asked.

"'May you live in interesting times.'"

"These certainly are... interesting... times. Remember the second half of that curse?"

"'May you find what you're looking for,'" Neal quoted.

Mozzie was silent. He looked down on his shoes for a moment, then he looked up.

"Gonna say goodbye to the Suit?"

Neal sighed. No, he would not. He knew he should but...

Mozzie raised his hand as if to pat him on the shoulder but lowered it. Neal felt for him. They had never, ever given each other any promises. They had just met over a common interest and shared the loot over the years. It had turned into a friendship that Neal now was about to break for Kate. And leave Mozzie behind.

"Send me a postcard," his friend said and looked down on the ground again.

Neal felt a pang of bad conscience. The feeling was not new. He knew it would pass. It always did. He was a con-man, a criminal. He could not afford to have ties. Mozzie knew that. Still, he did not know what to say. So he walked passed Mozzie and continued down the sidewalk.

Close to the Burke's he stepped into a florist and bought a big bouquet of flowers in a vase. Then he carried it all to Peter's place and unlocked the door with the spare key Peter had moved since Neal last used it. It was just a symbolic act to move the key. Peter knew he could pick the lock if he wanted to.

He placed the flowers on the dining room table. Among the flowers, he placed a note addressed to Elizabeth Burke with instructions inside. At the rim of the vase, he placed the burner phone he had just bought. The instructions said to speed-dial #1.

Then he left and locked the door behind him.

Half-an-hour later the phone in his pocket rang.

"Elizabeth," he answered with a smile.

"Neal? What is this?" she asked on her side.

"I got a friend at the Channing Museum. He's gonna call you today. He owes me a favor."

"Really?" she asked with skepticism. "Why?"

"To hire Burke Premier Events to do their annual Masters Retrospective."

There was a pause.

"That's... That's..." Elizabeth stuttered. "That's impossible to get."

"You just got it," Neal told her, proudly.